Important advice about how people in Australia can protect themselves from scams is now available online in an additional 17 languages other than English on the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch website.

The new in-language videos and updated written advice on how to spot and avoid scams will make Scamwatch an even more useful resource for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, including through the provision of scam prevention tips in language.

“Culturally and linguistically diverse communities are disproportionately targeted by scammers. These translated resources are an important tool to help people in their preferred language to spot and avoid scams,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

The National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch service provides information and resources to educate and empower consumers to watch out for and avoid scams.

Scamwatch advice is now available in Arabic, Cantonese, Croatian, Dari, English, Farsi, German, Greek, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Macedonian, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, Turkish, and Vietnamese.

The Targeting Scams 2023 report found people from CALD communities accounted for almost 12.7 per cent of reported losses in 2023. They collectively made 14,396 reports, which was an increase of 26.1 per cent from 2022. A total of $60.5 million was reported lost by CALD communities, marking an increase of 6.9 per cent from 2022.

The Little Book of Scams is recognised internationally as an important tool for consumers and small businesses to learn about scams.

Translated copies of the Little Book of Scams can be accessed and downloaded at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/research-and-resources/the-little-book-of-…

Fusion cell tackling job and employment scams

The second fusion cell coordinated by the National Anti-Scam Centre is tackling job scams. It brings together the expertise of law enforcement and major organisations including digital platforms, banks, cryptocurrency and technology firms to disrupt these scams which often impact CALD communities.

A kick-off meeting on 13 September will be followed by an in-person workshop later this month, where participants will develop strategies for disrupting and preventing these scams, including by educating target groups.

Job scams are often task-based work that claim to pay the individual through a commission. They are designed to steal money and personal information. Scammers often impersonate legitimate businesses or well-known recruitment agencies.

They use a variety of methods to advertise non-existent jobs, including messaging or social media platforms.

“We know job scams particularly impact culturally and linguistically diverse communities and non-resident visa holders, making these new in-language materials a valuable source of information for these communities,” Ms Lowe said.

“Job scams also impact students looking for part-time work or people looking to earn more as they experience cost-of-living pressures.”

Losses from job scams reported to Scamwatch rose rapidly last year. In 2023, Scamwatch received 4,831 reports, with reported losses of $24.4 million, an increase of 151.6 per cent compared to 2022. In 2024, reported job scam losses have been trending down but remain high, with $6.9 million lost to the end of July this year.

Job scams advice

  • Stop and check:
    • any job that requires payment of money to make money or that offers to pay you with little effort. It could be a scam. Scammers aim to steal money and personal information.
    • you know who you are really dealing with. Scammers pretend to be hiring on behalf of high-profile companies and online shopping platforms. They also impersonate well-known recruitment agencies and post fake ads on trusted job platforms.
    • anyone who contacts you with a job offer unexpectedly through encrypted message platforms like WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram.
  • Protect yourself:
    • Ignore requests for up-front payment via bank transfer, PayID or cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin or USDT. It’s rare to get money back that is sent this way.
    • Never send passport or identity documents, or bank account details to an employer or recruitment agency unless you are certain they are genuine.
    • Never agree to let another person use your bank account to receive and move money. Money laundering is a criminal offence and you could be prosecuted.

How to spot and avoid scams

STOP – Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if you’re unsure. Scammers will create a sense of urgency. Don’t rush to act. Say no, hang up, delete.

CHECK – Ask yourself could the call or text be fake? Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust. Contact the organisation using information you source independently, so that you can verify if the call is real or not.

REPORT – Act quickly if something feels wrong. Contact your bank immediately if you lose money. If you have provided personal information call IDCARE on 1800 595 160. The more we talk, the less power they have. Report scams to the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch service at scamwatch.gov.au when you see them.

Background

The National Anti-Scam Centre brings together experts from government, law enforcement and the private sector to disrupt scams before they reach consumers. It analyses and acts on trends from shared data and raises awareness about how to spot and avoid scams.

People reporting to Scamwatch can identify as a person from a ‘non-English speaking background’ when lodging an online report. This is used as a proxy to report on scams that impact CALD communities. Scamwatch does not collect data on the specific languages spoken or cultural backgrounds of people reporting a scam from a non-English speaking background.

Fusion cells are time-limited taskforces designed to bring together expertise from government and the private sector to take timely action to address specific, urgent issues. The National Anti-Scam Centre will coordinate a series of four fusion cells with different participants to target particular scam types.

The first fusion cell focused on combatting investment scams. In its final report, the National Anti-Scam Centre highlighted the positive impacts of government, law enforcement and industry taking a coordinated approach to scam disruption.

For further details about fusion cells see here.

Reference: NASC3/24

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